Republicans control 67 out of 98 partisan state legislative chambers. There are 24 states that are under TOTAL GOP control – meaning nearly half of the states in this country have no legislative chamber controlled by Democrats. After 2010, Republican legislatures gerrymandered so many congressional districts that it is nearly impossible for Democrats to regain the majority in the United States House. The Republicans have rigged the map.

That means devastating laws that target women and families. Since 2010, Republicans at the state and local level passed at least 338 abortion restrictions, making up an incredible 30 percent of all abortion restrictions that have been passed in the 44 years since Roe v. Wade.

That’s why in 2016 EMILY’s List launched Focus 2020. Focus 2020 is a project designed to impact redistricting by electing pro-choice Democratic women to governors’ seats and state legislative chambers in the 2018 and 2020 elections before the next redistricting in 2021.

And it's already working. Because of our efforts, Democrats flipped three state legislative chambers in 2016.

In Nevada, Democrats picked up 10 seats in the state House and one seat in the state Senate to flip both chambers. And in New Mexico, Democrats picked up five seats to flip the New Mexico House of Representatives. In all three chambers, this wouldn't have been possible without EMILY’s List women.

With the help of EMILY’s List candidates, Democrats also picked up seats in the Maine Senate, Florida Senate, and the North Carolina House – and we’re poised to make more gains in 2018 to flip critical legislative chambers around the country.

While we had some great successes in 2016, we are just getting started. 2017-2018 is a key election cycle for Democrats and for EMILY’s List.

How We're Going To Do It

The next congressional redistricting will be led by governors and state legislators elected to office in 2020, a process that will set congressional and legislative districts’ boundaries for the next decade. There is simply too much at stake to allow Republican leaders committed to partisanship rather than governance to redraw congressional and state legislative districts again in order to manipulate elections at the expense of women and families.

Focus 2020 will work to flip critical legislative chambers and governorships in 13 key states over the next two election cycles by investing resources strategically and recruiting strong pro-choice Democratic women candidates to run.

The states we're targeting are Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The result will be members of Congress, state legislatures, and governors who work to protect choice and set fair district boundaries in the future.

Targets

During the next two election cycles, we are working to flip critical state legislative chambers and governorships in 13 states.

Colorado

Targets: Senate and governorshipIn 2016, EMILY’s List elected Angela Williams (CO-SD33) and Rachel Zenzinger (CO-SD19).Action plan: Democrats need to pick up one seat in the Colorado state Senate to flip it from red to blue and hold the governorship.

Florida

Targets: Senate and governorshipIn 2016, Democrats picked up one seat in the Florida Senate, electing Linda Stewart (FL-SD13). Action plan: Over the next few years, we’re going recruit and train candidates to make gains in the Florida state Senate and win the Florida governorship.

Maine

Targets: Senate and governorshipIn 2016, Democrats picked up two seats in the Maine state Senate with two EMILY’s List candidates, Shenna Bellows (ME-SD14) and Eloise Vitelli (ME-SD23). In addition, EMILY’s List re-elected state Senators Cathy Breen (ME-SD25) and Sue Deschambault (ME-SD32).Action plan: In 2018, we need to pick up one seat to flip the Maine state Senate from red to blue and work to elect a Democratic governor.

Michigan

Targets: House and governorshipIn 2016, EMILY’s List elected Donna Lasinski (MI-HD52) and re-elected Stephanie Chang (MI-HD06) and Erika Geiss (MI-HD12).Action plan: We need to pick up nine seats to flip the Michigan state House by 2020 and work to elect a Democratic governor.

Minnesota

Targets: House, Senate, and governorshipIn 2016, EMILY’s List elected Erin Maye Quade (MN-HD57A).Action plan: Democrats need to pick up 11 seats to flip the Minnesota state House, one seat to flip the Minnesota Senate, and must hold the governorship.

Nevada

Targets: Senate, state Assembly, and governorshipIn 2016, Democrats picked up 10 seats in the Nevada House and one seat in the Nevada Senate to flip both chambers. All of our EMILY’s List candidates won their elections. In the Nevada Senate we elected three women: Nicole Cannizzaro (NV-SD06), Julia Ratti (NV-SD13), and Joyce Woodhouse (NV-SD05); and we elected six women in the state Assembly: Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (NV-AD34), Lesley Cohen (NV-AD29), Sandra Jauregui (NV-AD41), Brittney Miller (NV-AD05), Daniele Monroe-Moreno (NV-AD01), and Ellen Spiegel (NV-AD20).Action plan: In 2018, we need to protect our new majorities in the Nevada Senate and House and work to elect a Democratic governor.

New Hampshire

Targets: Senate and governorshipIn 2016, we elected Donna Soucy (NH-SD18).Action plan: In 2018, we need to pick up three seats to flip the New Hampshire state Senate from red to blue and work to elect a Democratic governor.

New Mexico

Targets: House and governorshipIn 2016, Democrats picked up five seats to flip the New Mexico state House, and we elected four EMILY’s List candidates: Joanne Ferrary (NM-HD37), Stephanie Garcia Richard (NM-HD43), Liz Thomson (NM-HD24), and Linda Trujillo (NM-HD48).Action plan: In 2018, we need to protect our new majority in the New Mexico House and work to elect a Democratic governor.

North Carolina

Target: HouseIn 2016, Democrats picked up one seat in the North Carolina House and EMILY’s List elected two new women to the North Carolina House: Cynthia Ball (NC-HD49) and Mary Belk (NC-HD88). Action plan: Over the next few years, we’re going to recruit and support to continue to make gains in the North Carolina state House.

Ohio

Targets: Senate and governorshipAction plan: Over the next few years, we’re going to make gains in the Ohio state Senate where Democrats need eight seats to flip the chamber. In 2018, we’re going to win the Ohio governorship.

Pennsylvania

Target: HouseIn 2016, we elected one new woman to the Pennsylvania House, Carolyn Comitta (PA-HD156); and re-elected two women, Pamela DeLissio (PA-HD194), and Leanne Krueger-Braneky (PA-HD161).Action plan: Over the next few years, we’re going to continue to make gains in the Pennsylvania state House to break into the Republican’s 19-seat majority.

Virginia

Target: SenateIn 2017, we elected Jennifer McClellan (VA-SD09) to the Virginia state Senate.Action plan: We’re going to flip the Virginia state Senate from red to blue by recruiting, training, and winning two seats in the Virginia state Senate in 2019.

Wisconsin

Targets: Senate and governorshipIn 2016, we elected LaTonya Johnson (WI-SD06) to the Wisconsin state Senate. Action plan: Over the next few years, we need to pick up four seats in the Wisconsin state Senate to flip the chamber from red to blue and work to elect a Democratic governor.